Outagamie Co. Officials Missed Opportunity

An Outagamie County official was informed about potential financial irregularities involving former guardian Jeffrey Schend nearly a year before a criminal investigation was launched against the Appleton man, The Post-Crescent has learned.

Sue Lutz, register in probate for Outagamie County, said a 2009 email message received from Darlene Hoffman, her counterpart in neighboring Shawano County, didn't raise red flags back then.

"At that time, we had no knowledge of any problems," Lutz said Friday.

Court records show nearly $309,000 in assets of Schend's elderly and disabled Outagamie County clientele disappeared in the year following the email transmission.

A Nov. 9, 2009, email obtained by The P-C last week indicated that Hoffman questioned Lutz on whether Outagamie County used Schend as a guardian and whether the county had an issue with Schend "paying for his wards' room and board or any other problems."

Hoffman sent the email amid Shawano County pursuing, and eventually winning, a judgment against Schend based on unpaid bills accrued by the lone client he had there. A judge later ordered Schend to pay nearly $5,000, and one of his bank accounts was garnisheed as result.

Full Article and Source:
Jeffrey Schend's Guardianship Problems Started in Shawano County

See Also:
Portion of Missing Funds in Jeffrey Schend Case Found